Citation, commencement, application and interpretation

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Amendment Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 1st April 2003.

(2) These Regulations apply to England only.

(3) In these Regulations “the principal Regulations” means the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 2000( 2 ).

Increase of amount of charges

2. —(1) The principal Regulations are amended as follows.

(2) In each place that it occurs in each of the following regulations, for “£6.20” there is substituted “£6.30”—

(a) regulation 3(1)(a) and (b) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by chemists);

(b) regulation 4(1)(a) and (b) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by doctors);

(c) regulation 5(1)(a) and (d) and (5) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances by NHS trusts and Primary Care Trusts);

(d) regulation 6(1)(a) and (b) and (4) (charges for the supply of drugs and appliances at Walk-in Centres); and

(e) regulation 6A(1) (charge for the supply of drugs under Patient Group Directions).

(3) In each place that it occurs in each of the following regulations, for “£12.40” there is substituted “£12.60”—

(a) regulation 3(1)(a) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery by chemists);

(b) regulation 4(1)(a) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery by doctors);

(c) regulation 5(1)(a) and (c) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery or tights by NHS trusts and Primary Care Trusts); and

(d) regulation 6(1)(a) (charge for the supply of a pair of elastic hosiery at Walk-in Centres).

(4) In regulation 9 (pre-payment certificates), in paragraph (5)—

(a) for “£32.40” there is substituted “£32.90”; and

(b) for “£89.00” there is substituted “£90.40”.

(5) In column (2) of Schedule 1 (charges for fabric supports and wigs)—

(a) for “£20.90” there is substituted “£21.20”;

(b) for “£31.50” there is substituted “£32.00”;

(c) for “£51.50” there is substituted “£52.30”;

(d) for “£135.90” there is substituted “£138.00”; and

(e) for “£198.60” there is substituted “£201.70”.

Transitional provisions

3. Where, on or after 1st April 2003—

(a) any appliance specified in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations is supplied pursuant to an order given before that date; or

(b) any pre-payment certificate is granted under regulation 9 of the principal Regulations pursuant to an application under that regulation which was received before that date,

the principal Regulations shall have effect in relation to that supply, or as the case may be, grant as if these Regulations had not come into force.